Ship.



R. S. GLIPT.

SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 191g.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

0 :Ja 'X00 Mja 16.15

ROBERT SMITH CLFT, 0F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

SHIP.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application led May 1, 1912. Serial No. 694,487.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT SMTTH CLIFT, mastermariner, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, haveinvented certain newV and useful Improvements in Ships; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full,` clear, and exact description ofthe same.

This invention relates more particularly to the providing of a ship withlife saving means for use in case of shipwreck and it has for an objectto provide an improved form of releasable or detachable float orpontoon'or compartment constituting part of `boat under normalconditions and adapted to be easily loosened from the hull in the eventof accident.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof reference will be had to the following descriptionand appended claims, and to the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis specification inV which similar reference characters indicate thesame parts and wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of the after portion ofa vessel having the invention embodied therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection view thereof, and Fig. 3 isa transverse section taken on theline 3 3 Fig. 2.

In the drawings the after part of the hull of a ship is shown at 1, thepropeller and rudder being shown at 2 and 3 respectively. According tomy invention the upper portion of the said rear part of the hull isconstructed to form a compartment separate and releasable from the restof the vessel and which may be termed a pontoon or float and whichextends the full width of the vessel and whose interior forms acompartment adapted to receive the crew and passengers in case ofaccident. This float or pontoon is shown at 4 and has a bottom 5, sidewalls 6 and front and rear walls 7 and 8 respectively, the bottom andwalls being joined to form a water tight structure. The'v length of thepontoon proportionately to the hull may vary but I prefer to make itabout one-eighth the length of thehull.

As shown in the drawing the pontoon is supported upon the second to topydeck 9 ofthe ship with the top 10 of the pontoon constituting ythe topdeck` of the after portion of the ship, while the sides and rear of thepontoon conform in outline to the hull of the vessel. v i

The bottom 5 of the pontoon is preferably spaced slightly apart from thedeck 9 by suitable means such as the channel irons v11 secured upon thedeck 9 and extending transversely thereacross, and on which irons thebottom '5 of the pontoon rests freely. The purpose of this spacingis toallow for washing out and lcleaning and also to permit of oil or' thelike being poured in under the pontoon to keepv the deck from rusting orcorroding, andV to provide an airspace to facilitate the floating of thepontoon inV the event of accident. The pontoon is retained againstlateral displacement by carrying up, as at l2, the vupper plate of thehull on either side to overlap the lower edges of the pontoon. i'

The walls and top of the pontoon are constructed of the usual hullforming material, the weight of all but the'bottom ones of the platesforming the sides of the pontoon being preferably the same as that ofthe plates forming the hull (including the overlapping plates 12) whilethe bottom of the pontoon and thelower side plates thereof arepreferably reinforced or of double thickness, this construction beingprovided in order that, should the vessel before sinking take anabnormal .list to one side the weight of the pontoon will break ofin theplates 12 and allow the pontoon to slide laterally linto the water, thereinforcing of the bottom and floor plates ofthe pontoon insuring thegiving way of the side overlapping plates 12 Vwhich lare weaker.

In theembodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings thepontoon is arranged to haveits top flush with' and forming the rearportion of the main deck of the vessel andthe front end abuts against abulkhead l5 extending completely and unbroken across the vessel betweendecks, access tothe pontoon being entirely from the top as willbepresently Vset forth, a slight air spacel indicatedv at 15 being leftbetween the pontoon and bulkhead to prevent `any chance of suctioninterfering with the floatingof the pontoon.

Suitable releasable devices are provided for locking the pontoon againstrearward displacement.- As here shown .one or more y arms 16 are pivotedat one end to stanchions 17 secured upon the deck of the ship adjacentthe forward end of the pontoon and are adapted to be swung down betweenthe lugs of a pair of forked standards 18 upon the pontoon, whilelocking pins 19 may be inserted through suitable registeringperforations in the standards and arm. A second arm 2O is pivoted uponthe upper end of a link 21 pivoted in turn at its lower end to a bracket29 upon the stern of the hull just below the deck 9. This arm 20 isadapted to swing down between the lugs of a pair of forked standards Q3,similar to the standards 1S, upon the rear of the top 10 of the pontoon,to which standards the arm is locked by pins 2li similar to the pins 19.Although not shown in the drawings similar locking devices may beprovided at the sides to reinforce the side plates 12.

rlfhe details of the interior arrangements and fitting of such pontoonand the manner of access thereto may of course be varied to suitindividual requirements but l will describe the arrangement preferred by me.

The pontoon is provided with a double bottom 25 forming a space in whichfresh water is carried, this space preferably being divided into severalcompartments by vertical partitions 26. The water contained in. thedouble bottom is intended for drinking purposes for the people in thepontoon when the latter has been detached from a sinking vessel, thepontoon being provided with a suitable pump, not necessary here to beshown, which may be connected to any one of the compartments in thedouble bottom.

Access to the interior is had through a pair of raised hatchways 28 fromwhich stairways 29 lead into the interior of the pontoon while steps-30also lead from the deck l0 to the tops of the hatches, which latter maybe provided with hinged covers 3i. A water tight bulkhead or partition32 provided with a suitable door preferably extends across the pontoonnear the end therec the deck 10 of the pontoon.

of forming a compartment in which may be stored sails, fuel, lamps, ropeand hand pump, while another bulkhead preferably extends across thepontoon between the hatches. Along the sides of the pontoon may bearranged lockers indicated at 83 adapted to contain supplies ofprovisions while above such lockers are provided bunks 3-1 for sleepingaccommodation. The pontoon may also be provided with a heater or heaters35. As shown at 36 mast sockets are also preferably secured to the foreparts of the hatchways while a boat, masts, gafs and rigging (not shown)may be carried upon To admit of light entering the pontoon when thehatches are closed deck dead lights (not shown) of very thick glass maybe provided. y s i ln event ot' accident to the ship the arms 16 and Q0will be released, the passengers and crew will enter the pontoon, thehatch covers will be closed and as the vessel sinks the pontoon floatsofi'.

lf desired, to contend with weather conditions, masts can be fitted inthe sockets 36 and sails set.

With my improved device the deck space of the vessel is not in any wayobstructed while the pontoon under ordinary conditions forms part of theships hull and passengers may be accommodated therein, or it may be usedfor mail and postal rooms.

lli/hat l claim is as follows:

1. A vessel having a removable pontoon or floatresting on one deckthereof and having a false bottom, the sides of the hull of the vesseloverlapping and engaging the sides of the pontoon, being carried upabove the lowermost level of the pontoon and terminating below the levelof the false bottom.

2. A vessel having a removable pontoon or float resting on one deckthereof and having a false bottom, the sides of thehull of the vesseloverlapping and engaging the sides of the pontoon, being carried upabove the lowermost level of the pontoon and terminating below the levelof the false bottom, the sides of the pontoon increasing in thicknessdownwardly from the false bottom and being of greater thickness than theoverlapping sides of the hull.

3. ln a vessel the upper deck of which terminates at a point spaced fromthe rear of the vessel to expose a second deck, transversely extendingsupports secured to the second deck, a. pontoon resting loosely upon thesupports, the top of the pontoon being substantially on a level with thetop deck and the outlines of such pontoon conforming to those of thehull of the vessel, means at the front of the pontoon for securing thelatter in place comprising an arm pivoted to the top deck, extendingover and being detachably secured to the top of the pontoon and securingmeans at the rear of the pontoon comprising a link pivoted to the hullbelow the second deck, extending up to near the top of the pontoon andan arm, one end of which is pivoted to the upper end of the link and theopposite end detachably secured to the top of the pontoon.

t. ln a vessel the upper deck of which terminates at a point spaced fromthe rear of the vessel to expose a second deck, transversely extendingsupports secured to the second deck, a pontoon resting loosely upon thesupports and having a false bottom, the top ofthe pontoon beingsubstantially on a level with the top deck and the outlines of suchpontoon conforming to those of the false bottom, means at the front ofthe pontoon for securing the latter in place comprising an arm pvoted tothe top deck, eX- tending over and being detachably secured to the topof the pontoon and securing means at the rear of the pontoon comprisingay link pvotecl'to the hull below the second deck, extending up to nearthe top of the pontoon and an arm, one end of which is pivoted to 10 theupper end of the link and the opposite end detachably secured to the topof the pontoon.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT SMITH CLIFT.

W'tnesses:

ALEX CURRIE, FRED. J. SEARS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, D. 0.

